Couch.



A. R. HYATT.

COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 6, 1913.

1,099,092, Patented June 2, 1914.

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Swuwwbov 9 ALBERT R. I-IYATT, OF OLDS, IOWA.

COUCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Julie 2, 191 1.

Application filed October 6, 1913. Serial No. 793,673.

To all whom it may concern lie it known that I, ALBERT R. HYATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at (I-lds, in the county of Henry and State of lows, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couches, of which the following is a specification.

The couch which is the subject matter of the present application for patent is designed more particularly for the treatment of certain abdominal ailments by allowing the occupant to tilt the body to an inverted position.

It the object of the present invention to provide a couch of this kind which is very simple in construction, and which can readily be adjusted by the occupant to the desired angle.

Uther objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description appearing hereinafter, and in order that the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying dra ving in whichtigure 1 is a slide elevation of the couch; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section throi'igh one end thereof, and Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line S 3 of Fig. 1.

lzteiterring specifically to the drawing, the couch comprises a tiltable top 5, suitably upholstered and supported by a frame composed of corner standards 6 and intermediate standards 7 suitably connected to form r rigid frame. As shown in the drawing the corner standards, at each end of the frame, are connected by top and bottom crossrails 8 and 9, respectively, and longitudinal rails 10 connect the corner and intermediate standards at the sides of the frame,near the bottom thereof. Top longitudinal rails 11 connect the intermediate standards with the corner standards at the foot end of the fnnne. The intermediate standards are COI1 nected by top and bottom. cross-rails 12 and pectively. These frame members are a l composed of piping or tubing.

(in the top cross-rail 12 are mounted rocking frames 11 carrying rollers 15 at their outer ends. These frames extend trans- 'ersely of the cross-rail and project from opposite sides thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the rollers are in contact with the under side of the top 5. A pair of rollers engages the top near each longitudinal edge, as shown in Fig. 3. These rollers form a support for the intermediate portion of the couch frame and the bottom crossrail 13 extend inclined parallel rails 16, the inclination of which latter is downward from the head end of the couch. To the under side of the top 5 are secured brackets 17 which support grooved rollers 18, which latter are mounted to travel on the rails 16. The intermediate standards 7 carry bearings 19 which support a transverse shaft 20 on which is fast a pulley 21 having projecting studs 22 on its periphery which enter apertures 23 in an endless belt 2 1 mssing over said pulley. The two sides of the belt extend downward from the pulley and pass over guide pulleys 2-5 carried by a frame 26 supported by the bottom cross-rail 13. From the pulleys thebelt passes upward, parallel to the rails 16, to a pulley 27 carried by the cross-rail 8 at the head end of the couch frame. The upper run of the inclined portion of the belt is made fast to the head end of the top 5, as indicated at 28. D

It will be evident from the foregoing that the head end of the top 5 may be tilted down by rotating the shaft 20 in one direction and upon rotating the shaft in the opposite direction the top swung back to horizontal position. The shaft is operated by aratchet lever 29 arranged so as to be within reach of the occupant of the couch. The shaft has a ratchet wheel 30 engagea-ble by the pawl 31 of the lever, said pawl being reversible so that the shaft may be turned in both directions as hereinbefore described.

At the head end of the top 5 is reinovably fastened. an upholstered roll 32 serving as a pillow or head rest. The roll also serves to keep the person from sliding down when in inverted position. A further protection to keep the body from sliding down comprises two soleshaped boards 33 hinged at 3-1- to a board 35 fastened down on the top 5 at the foot end thereof, said sole-shaped boards carrying straps 36 for securing the persons feet.

The top 5 is normally in horizontal position, but it is adapted to be tilted as shown by dotted. lines in Fig. 1 to lower the head portion and raise the foot portion. The rollers 15 serve as a fulcrum and they remain in contact with the under side of the top by reason of their pivoted supports 1e. As the top tilts the point of engagement of the rollers with the top gradually changes and comes nearer to the head end of the top, thus shortening the head end and lengthen ing the foot end, wlth the result that the body is kept in balance, the head and trunk tiltsthe top until the body is inverted. The

purpose of placing the body in an inverted position is the treatment of certain abdominal ailments, and more particularly the re placing of abdominal viscera which has been displaced downwarch By inverting the body and bringing the force of gravity on the displaced organ inversely, the tendency is for the same to drop back to normal position and thus rest the connecting and supporting ligaments from the constant strain to which they may have been subjected. By hanging down by the feet, the ligaments of the limbs are stretched and the joints loosened, and even the vertebra and spinal column afiected for the better by inverting the weight and the pull thereon.

in order to hold or look the top 5 in horizontal position, the shaft 20 has a lug 36 which is engageable by a latch 37 carried by one of the standards 7. A suitable oper ating device, which may be a wire 38, is con nected to the latch.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, but it is evident that many changes and modifications in the structural details may be made without a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A couch comprising asupporting frame, a tiltable body-supporting top, a rocking support with which the intermediate portion of the top is slidably engageable, and means connected to the top for tilting the same.

2. A couch comprising a supporting frame, a tiltable body-supporting top, a rocking member, rollers carried by said member on which the intermediate portion of the top is slidably supported, and means connected to the top for tilting the same.

3. A couch comprising a supporting frame, a tiltable body-supporting top, a rocking support with which the intermediate portion of the top is slidably engageable, a pulley, a hauling device passing over the pulley and connected to the top, and means for operating the pulley.

a. A couch comprising a supporting frame having a top cross-rail intermediate its ends, rocking members carried by said cross rail and projecting from opposite sides thereof, rollers carried by the ends of said members, a body-supporting top slidably supported intermediate its ends on the rollers, and means connected to the top for tilting the same. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT R. HYATT.

Witnesses F. A. MORGAN, H. H. PREssLnR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0 

